AFL helps quadriplegic teen Will Murray find a way

Will Murray at the Royal Children’s Hospital with father Nick and friends Luke Cleary and Josh Duscher

EVERY time junior footballer Will Murray got the ball, you knew something was going to happen, his under-13 teammates say. The teenage prodigy was "a freak of nature".

No longer able to stand out on the field since a devastating neck injury left him a quadriplegic, he is impressing all who visit him with his courage and mental resilience in Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.

Will can't spend much more than five minutes in his wheelchair during the early stages of his rehabilitation, but he pushed on bravely to speak with media on Wednesday morning.

He smiled and was able to muster a thumbs-up for Richmond defender Dylan Grimes, despite the difficulty he has moving his fingers.